M R Amin, Chattogram

A major controversy has erupted within the civil service administration over allegations that a mid-level government official signed a secret agreement pledging Tk 69 crore to secure the post of Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chattogram.

The official in question, Md Salahuddin Ahmed—a Deputy Secretary from the 28th BCS (Administration) cadre currently serving as the Controller of Stores (Director) at the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA)—signed a "letter of consent" agreeing to the massive bribe deal. He reportedly issued several post-dated bank cheques as advance security to seal the arrangement.

The revelation has sent shockwaves through bureaucratic circles, raising grave questions regarding transparency, integrity, and ethical standards in key administrative postings.

According to documents reviewed and source reports, a syndicate agreed to manage an initial bribe amount of Tk 30 crore to orchestrate Salahuddin’s posting as the DC of Chattogram. Under the arrangement, Salahuddin pledged to pay back double that amount—Tk 60 crore—along with an additional Tk 9 crore as a "service charge," bringing the total deal to Tk 69 crore. He explicitly committed to clearing this Tk 69 crore payment within 18 months of assuming office as DC. Furthermore, the official was reportedly actively seeking an illegal loan or fund of Tk 45 crore from a local businessman to finance the operation.

The leaked letter, signed by Salahuddin on March 29, includes his official identity number (16521), cadre batch, and current designation. In the document, he stated that he had "no objection" to being posted as the District Magistrate and DC of Chattogram—an unprecedented declaration in public administration where postings are strictly at the government's discretion.

More alarming, however, is the second paragraph of the letter, where Salahuddin authorized a third party, a businessman named Md Habibur Rahman from Bauphal, Patuakhali, to act on his behalf. The letter explicitly states that Habibur was authorized to maintain necessary communications with relevant high-level authorities to influence the posting and ensure "security" for the deal.

Civil service experts noted that delegating an external individual or private businessman to lobby with ministries for a key administrative role is virtually unheard of and constitutes a severe breach of official protocol.

Legal experts and senior administrators pointed out that Salahuddin’s actions violate multiple service rules and penal provisions:

Expressly prohibits any government employee from using external influence or unauthorized lobbying—written or verbal—to affect decisions regarding their employment or posting.

Categorizes such lobbying and bribery arrangements as severe "misconduct," punishable by permanent dismissal from service.

Entering into financial contracts or attempting unauthorized monetary transactions to influence a public office constitutes a serious criminal offense equivalent to bribery and extortion.

When contacted, Salahuddin Ahmed denied all allegations, claiming the consent letter was "completely false, baseless, and fabricated." When questioned about the bank cheques bearing his signature that were provided as part of the agreement, he claimed that the cheques had been stolen. However, he failed to provide a direct response when asked whether he had filed any police report or taken legal action regarding the alleged theft.

Commenting on the issue, Advocate Salim Chowdhury, Senior Vice Chairman of the Bangladesh Human Rights Council, said, "Lobbying, bribery, or signing monetary agreements to secure a public office is entirely illegal, unethical, and a punishable crime under existing laws." He urged the government to conduct an immediate, neutral investigation and take stern disciplinary and legal action to ensure administrative governance.

Efforts to reach CPA management for an official statement yielded little progress. CPA Director (Administration) Mohammad Nasir Uddin directed inquiries to the CPA Secretary via text message. However, multiple calls and text messages sent to Acting Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim went unanswered.

Before his current assignment at the Chattogram Port Authority, where he was transferred on December 17 last year, Salahuddin Ahmed served as a Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs.